The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-06-23

RINGING REBUKE
DenuncistiOn Of the. Nations Acct
dental Executive
By the COmmaadsr-in-Chief Of the
G. A. r.
For Restoring Captured Rebel Flags
to the South.
Hamilton Post 1872 Expresses Its
DisapprObatiOn.
Gov EOrakar ChxraoFarlzaa IL az an
Gov. Foraker Ch4raCtsrlzss it as an
Unqualified 0fEense.


The G. A. r. heard these words with
bated breath and glanced at each other
with awe as the terrible sentence rang
out from the commander-in-chief of
G. A. Il. last night in the association
hall in Harlem. The occasion was a
reception rendered to the commander
in-chief by the Alexander Hamilton
Post No. 1872 G. A. II. Visitors were
present from every grand army post of
this city and vicinity. Post Com
mander A. M. Undcrhill presided.
Among those present were Senior Vice
Commander afferty, Junior Vice Com
mander ChAs. Hall Grant, Past State
Commander Hedges of Haverstraw
and Corporal Tanner.
Before the meeting adjourned it be-
came known that Gen. Ross, of Aus
tin, Texas, had received a letter from
the adjutant general of the United
States army, stating that the presi-
dent had approved the recommended
ton and the writer had been instructed
by the secretary of war to return all
confederate flags in care of the war de
partment to the southern states from
whose regiments the flags had been
captured during the war of the
rebellion. Gen. Fairchild entered the
hall with stern, set features, and with
out hardly waiting for the usual cOur-
tesies, the one-armed leader burst forth
with the expressions recorded above.
The general told of the news received
by telegraph that the president had ap-
fNEk EGa NJ
and how those flags had been won by
the veterans Of the G. A. r. in open
conflict with the enemies of the nation.
The veterans had placed their trophies
In the care of the war department.
They were intended, he said, to be kept
in the archives of the nation, as me-
mentOes of hard-wOn fields of battle.
loyal governors of the southern states
accept emblems Of treason, after their
professions of loyalty to the union?
Must they not return them to the sec
Rotary and say that they have nothing
to do with the flags, as rebel organiza-
tons are extinct and their governors
are deadp"
Gen. Fairchild said he had frequent
~ listened to sentiments which caused
him to bite his tongue in the effort to
maintain control. A few months past
he had visited G. A. r. posts in every
state In the north, east and west, and
he had never in any post meeting heard
anything but kindly feelings expressed
towards the men who had looked into
the gun barrels of northern
troops during the war. AS
commander-in-chief he had tried to en-
courage the kindly feeling. Now this
was changed. The time had come to
speak in the name of the organization
III he could not protest against it as
commander-in-chief of the G. A. r., he
would resign and protest as a private
citizen. But he was satisfied that the
$50 900 G.. A. r. veterans would rise as
one man in a solemn protest against
any such disposition of the trophies won
at such a fearful sacrifice ofblood.
Raising his only hand, the general
said: ~ appeal to the sentiment of
the nation to forbid this sacrilege."
There was moments silence, then a
wild hurrah went up and was repeated
and continued. Then came loud
calls for Corporal Tanner. He
apologiZed for coming without his
G.. A. r. badge. One of the
infantry recruited since the war
asked him why he was going out of the
house without badge. He answered
that latter the action of the president
in the case of the rebels flags the next
thing there would be an order demand
ing that the veterans of the war return
their G.. A. II. badges, as they were
made of the metal cast from the guns
captured in the war. He was not sur
prised that such an order should
eminate from one who, during the
war was in the full vigor of manhood,
sturdy and strong, yet who was
represented in the field by substitute
drawn from the Erie penitentiary.
Every member should risein the might
of veteran and protest against this
discretion.
The proposed trip of Cleveland to st.
Louis has been discussed by the Veter-
ans. He had advised the western vet
Grams to treat the president with the
respect due him, but now had come an
order from which nothing could come
but condemnation, and result in dam
nation.
These remarks were received with
shouts and cheers. Then Edmund Ken
rick, late inspector general of the de-
Sickle's leaped to the platform and
offered the following resolutions:
Whereas, Thepresident of the United
States, having approved the recon-
mendAtion that all battle flags in GUS
tOdy OF the war department belonging
to the southern states in the rebellion
during the late civil war be returned to
TIC EoopoCJlNo bJdJcS which DOr6 Llem,
for such final disposition as they may
determine; be it
Resolved, That this post views with
surprise the action of the president,
and records its protest thereto.
Resolved, That the sacrifice of blood
which the captured flags represent was
a sacrifice to liberty national union and
to God.
Resolved, That no sentiment of gener-
osity and no expression of magnanimi-
ty Is involved in the surrender of their
covenants or national honor, and
Resolved, That it only now remains
to direct that the battle flags of the
union be distributed among the repre-
sentativeS of the So-called confederacy;
and as fitting acknowledgment OF
the righteousness OF the lost cause, y
and
Resolved, That this post expresses
its disapprobation of this act of the
first President of the United State:
who has held offiice disasSOciated from
the memories Of the war for the
Union.
The resolutions were carried with 3
shout. Arrangements will be made Il
have mass meeting Of veterans ne \
week to protest against the action O
the President.